Despite Coalition's Electoral Disappointment Juwara Confident of Niamina
Votes Says No Odds Against Him



The Independent (Banjul)

December 14, 2001
Posted to the web December 14, 2001

Sarjo Janneh
Banjul

Still smarting from the October 18 election defeat, which saw his area
falling to the APRC Lamin Waa Juwara, has vowed to sweep Niamina.

Expressing confidence over his chances of victory in his constituency, which
was lost to the APRC during the presidential election, Juwara denied that he
has lost support from his area.

Juwara who was the then member of parliament for Niamina Dakunku
constituency at the time of the July 22nd coup said the results from the
presidential poll would not be the best gauge of his popularity there.

His claims come amidst suggestions that the presidential results for the
area was a clear sign of his deflated popularity.

In an interview with The Independent at his residence in Brikama recently,
Juwara claimed he was the choice of the people of Niamina despite Ousainou
Darboe defeat there during the presidential poll.

"It is not a question of losing ground. There are certain factors that
militated against us winning in Niamina in the presidential election.

In the famous Niamina chieftaincy dispute, Ousainou Darboe represented the
Mandinkas as a lawyer against the Wollofs. And lost the Wollof votes there"
he pointed out.

Mr. Juwara further pointed out that despite his good relations with the
wollofs, he could not persuade them to vote for Darboe because they could
not understand and that he was not part of the dispute but was only a legal
representative.

When put to him that there may be a strong possibility that the Wollofs will
not vote for him because of his association with Darboe, Juwara said that
was not necessarily true. "The wollofs voted for me in 1992 simply because I
had a good relationship with Momodou Thorpe the then head chief of the area
who is a wollof. I was the Commissioner and returning officer in the
elections, which Thorpe won by one vote. So politically I am favoured" he
said.

Juwara further denied claims that Darboe was defeated because of the
inclusion of the PPP in the UDP-led coalition. He stated that instead the
PPP was a big asset that has lend strength and experience to the coalition.

He finally called on UDP supporters and sympathisers to remain strong and
committed to the party.




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